Railway signaling system



1 M. A. PENROD ET A. 1,792,864

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed April 5. 1930 C. H. Brooks,

M- -Pcnrod 5 @R-WJM Patented Feb. '17, 1931 uNiTEosT E PATENT .oFFicE I MELVIN A.. PENROD AND CHARLES Annooxs, or swIssvALE, PENNSYLVANIA, As- SIeNoRs TO THE'UNION swrron -& SIGNAL COMPANY, or swIssvALE, P NNSYL- vANIA, A ooRPoR- TIoN or PENNSYL ANIA RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM 5 Application as; Aprn 5; 1930 semi N5. 441,829.

Our invention relates to railway signaling systems oi the type involving a switch and a signal governing trailic'over such switch. One ieatnreot our Invention Is the lOVlSlOD' The, accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form offsystem' ems bodyingonr'invention. 1' b Referring to the drawing the} reference characters 1 and l designatethe track rails of a stretch oii maintra ck N, which rails.

are divided by 'insulatedjoints 2 to form a plurality of successive track sectionsoI" which only "two S6CtlOIlS A B andB 'C,ar.e shown complete in the drawing. Located in the section AB is a'switcli Q' leading intoa yard trackZ. This yard track is provided with a track section D E,the end D of whichis located beyond :the fouling point the.

switch Q.

Trafiic into thesection th ere-f fore through the switch Q, is governed by a' signal S. This Signal comprises a maingronp of lamps V, and anauxiliary group of lamps W, each group comprising a green'lampGr, a,

yellow lamp Y, and a red lamp R. The Signal also is provided with a calling-onlamp Y3.

' The indications given boy-the signal S will-be: explained during the explanationof the operation of the system asa whole. J

The switch Q is actuated between normal and reverse positlons bya switchmechanlsrn 4:, which in turn, iscontrolled by a manually operable lever P located, for examplet in the dispatchefs tower and {having normal and 7 reverse positions corresponding to those ,05

theswitch. This lever comprises ,a pairyof pole-changing contacts 5 and BQVherebyc-nr-Q rent or; ormal polarity is. supplied to the inechanisnij L iroinjternnnalsw and o when the lever from these terminals when the lever is in the" novel features tliereof I in' c In normal position, and a cur ient o t reverse polarity issupplied to the mechar reverse position. Lever P is also providedwith additionalvcontacts'7, 8 24 and 3?,the functions of which will be explained hereinafter. y I

The signal S is controlledin part by a man ually operable lever P also located in the dispatchers tower and having armiddle posiion and a right-hand position, which positions we will for convenience referuto as the normal and reverse positions respectively.v This lever is provided with a contact-9 which is open when the lever 1s 1n the normal position, and is 'clos'ed when thelever is, reversed." Associated with the lever P isa normally i open pu'shbuttOnlO of the type which may belclosed byhand, but which immediately returns to an open position as soon as it is released. That is to say, this push button is of the non-stick type.

' Each track section isprovided with a track circuit comprising a battery 3, and a track relay designated by the reference character T witha distinguishing exponent The reference character U designates a repeater relay which is controlled in part by the track relaysand in part by the switch lever Pf 'Whenthe switch lever is in the normal position, the circuit for relay U is from terminal as, through'front contact 11 of track relay T contact 7 of Switch lever P in its left-handpos'ition, front contact 12 of tracltrelay TK-and the winding of relay U to terminal 0'. It follows that with lever P contactflO of track relay T contact 8 in its right-hand positiomfront contact 12 of track relay T and the winding of relayU to terlninal 0.: It follows that when lever-P reversed, relay U will be energized if and only iiftrack sections A-B and D-E are unoccupied. 1 r A, A

There'ference character M designates a relav which is controlled in part bythe track relaysan'd by theswitch lever P There are two'circuitsfor relayflll. The first of these circuits is from terminal w, through back con tact 11 of track relay T contact 24 of lever P in its normal position, front contact 13 of track relay T and winding of relay U to terminal 0. The second of these circuits is from terminal a", back contact of track rclay T contact of lever P in its reverse position, front contact- 13 of track 'l, and winding of relay U to terminal 0. It follows that with lever P in its normal position, relay U will be energized if, and only if, tracl: section i= 1l3 is unoccupied and the track section B-C of main track N is occupied by a train, and that with the lever P in its reverse position, relay U will be energized if and only if track section AB is unoccupied and track section Dl1l of yard track Z is occupied by a train.

Signal S is directly controlled by a distant relay F, a home relay H, a yard relay .l and a ca lling-on relay K. This signal is also coir trolled in part by a circuit controller L operatively connected with the switch Q, an d com is prising two contacts 17 and 19 closed when the switch occupies its normal position as shown n the drawing, and a contact 18 closed when the switch is reversed.

lVe will assume that all of the track sec tions AB, BC and DE are unoccupied, that the switch Q, is in the normalposition, and that the dispatcher desires to admit a train moving toward the right into section AB. To do this, he will move the signal lever P to the right-hand or reverse position, thereby energizing relay H, the circuit being from terminal or, through contact 9 on lever P front contact of relay U, winding of relay H, and back contact of calling-on relay K to terminal 0. The circuit for the distant relay F includes the norn'ially closed contact 19 of circuit controller L, as well as other controlling contacts to the right of section BC, not shown in the drawing, and for present purposes we will assume that this relay is energized. Green lamp Gr in group V of". signal S will then be lighted by a. circuit which passes from terminal at, through front contact 22 of relay H, front point of contact 23 of relay F, and lamp G to tern'iinal 0. At the same time the lamp G in group will be lighted by a circuit from terminal m, through front contact 21 of relay H and normally closed contact 17 of switch operated circuit controller L. Signal S will then give the proceed indication. If the distant relay F decnergizcd, lamp G of group \V will Delighted as before, but lamp Y instead of lamp G in this group V will be lighted. the circuit for lamp Y including the front contact 22 of relay H, and the back pointof contact 23 of relay F. Vl hen the train enters section A-B, it will deenergize track relay T and this in turn will deenerze relay U, thereby opening the circuit for relay H at .contact 15 of relay U. The two red lamps B'ofsi'gnal S' villthen b e-lighted by a circuit from terminal a), through back contact 25 of relay H, back contact 26 of relay J and the two red lamps R in multiple to tcrminal 0. Signal S will then indicate stop.

lVe will now assume that the train which occupies section A-B passes the point 13, thereby causing the reenergization of track relay T and the closing of its front contacts l2 and 13 and also causing the deenergization of track relay T and the closing of its back contact 11. Relay U will continue to be deenergized because its circuit will now be open at contact 11 of track relay T, but relay M will become energized because its circuit will be closed at both contacts 11 and 13. Relay J will then become energized by virtue of a circuit which passes from terminal in, through contact 9 of signal lever P back contact 15 of relay U, front contact 16 of relay M, winding of yard relay J, and back contact 33 of calling-011 relay K, to terminal 0. The energization of yard relay J establishes a circuit from terminal :0, through front contact 28 of relay J and lamp Y of the group V of lamps to terminal 0 and also a circuit from terminal :0, through contact 29 of relay J, contact 17 of the switch operated circuit controller L and lamp G of the group of lamps to terminal 0. A circuit is also thus established from terminal 00, through a front contact 30 of relay J and lamp Y of signal S to terminal 0. The signal is thereby caused 'to display what is known as a yard indication for the main track N, that is, it will indicate to the following train that the switch Q is normal, that the section AB is unoccupied, but that the section BC of .the main track N is occupied.

If all three of the track sections are unoccupied and the switch Q is reversed, and the dispatcher moves the signal lever P to its reverse or right-hand position, relays U and'H will become energized by virtue of the circuit previously traced through contacts 9, 15 and 33. This will result in the lighting of the lamps Y in groups V and lV, the circuit for the former being from terminal a, through front contact 22 of relay H, hack contact 23 of relay F, lamp Y of group V of lamps to terminal 0, and the circuit for the latter being from terminal a through front contact 22 of relay H, back contact 27 of relay J, contact 18 of circuit controller L and lamp Y of group W of lamps to terminal 0. This gives a clear indication for track Z.

Vl e will now assume that switch ,Q is reversed, that section A-B is occupied by a train, and that-the dispatcher desires to admit a second train into this section. Relay U will now be ,deenergized, because its circuit will be opened at contact 12 of track relay T and relay M will be fdeenergized because its circuit will be open at Contact 13 of the same track'reilay. .T-he dispatcher *will'then stick type.

unoccupied, but that the section D' E of the 7 yard track Z is occupied. It will be'observed that this transfer from'relay K: to relay vJ1 is entirely automatic, and does not require reverse the signal lever P -and will also close the push buttoniO. The calling-on relay K will then become energized by virtue ofa circuit whichpasses'from terminal 00, through contact 9 on'the signal lever P back contact 15 of-relayU, back contact 16 of relay M,push button lOyand winding of calling-on relay Kto terininal 0; When the relay K J becomes energized, lamp Y of signal Swill becomeziighted hy' virtue of a circuit which passes froni'terininal 0:; through front'poiiit of contact3l ofrelayK-and the lamp Y 'f tion, nianuallycontrolled means for causing said signalto display a calling-on indicatioir when said section is occupied by a train, and inealns operating automatically for causin I of signal S to' term'inal o, thereby causing the calling-on indication to be displayed.

The energization of relay K also closes afront contact 32 which immediately establishesastickfcircuit for thi'srelay 'fro1n*terininal mend contacts 9, 15, 16 and 82 and winding ofrelay K to terininal'o. "This stick circuitinaintains the'relay K energized after the dispatcher-"releases the-push button 40 which; as-hasbeen pointed out, is ofth non- We. will now assume that before the calling-on indication is accepted} by a following train, the train which occupies section A;B passes-thepoint D, thereby causing the reenergization of track relay T and theclosing of its front contacts 12and 13 and also'cansin'g the-deenergization of track relay T and the closing of its back contact 10. Underthese conditions 'relayU will-continue tobe.

dejei' ergized because its, circnit will now be open at contact 10 of trackrelay Tibut relay M will become energized because its circuit will be closed at both contacts 10 and '13 Rer the firstsectioii of said series is occupied by a: i

lamps previously traced throughvthe contact- 28 of this relay, and also a circuit from terminal w, through'c'ontact 27 of relayJ, contact v18 of the switch operatedcircuit .conv troller' L and lamp- Y of the group "V Offi lamps'to terminal 0. 'The energizationio'f' relay J also reestablishes the circuit forgthe lamp Y -of signal S previously traced through contact 30 of this, relay; The 'signa'l'S is thereby caused to displaywliat is linown asa Vard.' indication. for thetrack Z, that 1s, it

will indicate to .the followingtrain that the switch Q, is reversed, that the S6CtlOIA+B is manualopei'ation ofthe push button 40. r

7 :Signal- S can be causedtolgive other indizations than'ithose specificallyreferred to, but such other indications have nothing to do with ourpresent invention;v and consequently,

itis not necessary, to explain-them in detail Although-we have herein shown and v icribed'only one form of. signaling :system' we claim is;

embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit andscope of our invention.

' Having thus described 1. lnfcoinbination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a section, asignal gov- I erning traffic li'ito said sectlonand capable" of displaying a callingbn and a yard indica V i V b said s gnal to d splay a yard ndication when such train leaves said section. a :2. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a first and a second section; a signal'governing trafiic into said first section and capable ofdisplaying calling -on and yard indications, manually controlled means for'causing' said signal to display a calling-on indlcation wheivsaid first section is occupied bya train, and means track divided to form a series-of'sections, a signal governing trafiic'intothe first section "of saidseries and capableifof displaying a plurality of progressively ffa-vorable proceed indications, manually controlled meansffor" causing said signal to display'a proceed in-. d cation least favorable in a character when train, and means operating automatically for ceeding sections of said series.

our invention, what i 4.5111 combination, stretch" or" railway I track Idivided to form twofsections, a. signal governingtrafiic into thefirst of said sections and capable of. dis alaying ealling-on yard and caution indications, manually controlled means-for causingsaidsignall to display-acalling-onindication when the first of said sections is occupied by a traiiifiind means op erating automatically for causing said signa l to display a. yard indication when said train proceeds through the second ofsaid sections and a caution indication when said 5; ln combination, 'a stretch of (railway.

track divided to'form series of sections a signal governing tra-flic' into the first section horse-id series and capable of disilaying-call train departs from said second section;

ing on yardand: caution indications, Infillually controlled i'neansfor causing said'sig-. nalfto display a calling-on indication when the first section of said series is occupied by a. train, and means operatin automatically romancing said signal tosiiccessively display,

yard and caution indications as such train proceeds through succeeding sections of said series.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a series of sections, a signal governing traiiic into the first section of said series and capable of displaying calling-on, yard and caution indications, manually controlled means for causing said signal to display a calling-on indication when the first section of said series is occupied by a train, and means operating automatically and give the calling-on indication when section A-B is occupied by a train, and means operating automatically to causesaid signal to change from the calling-on indication to the yard indication when such trainleaves section AB provided said switch is reversed to admit traffic into said yard.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form sections AB and BC provided with track relays T and T respectively, a switch leading from section A-B into a yard track divided to form a section D.E which is provided with a track relay T, a signal governing traffic through said switch, a manual lever for said switch having normal and reverse positions, a manual lever for said signal having normal and reverse positions, a repeater relay U energized when 'said switch lever is normal provided track relays T and 'I are closed and energized when said switch lever is reversed provided track relays T and T are closed, a

relay M energized, when said switch lever is reversed provided track relay T is closed and relay T is (open, a home relay and a yard rela and a callin -on rela i for said si nal y D r b 7 means for energizing said home relay' when said signal lever is reversed provided said calling-on relay is open and relay U is closed, a manually operable normally open push button, lneans for energizing said callingfon relay when said signal lever is reversed and said push-button is closed provided said relays U and M are open, means for subsequently keeping the calling-on relay energized as long as relay U and relay M remain open and the signal lever remains reversed, means operating when said calling-on relay 1s opened to energize said yard relay if rclay M closes, and means for causing said signa'l to give a cal'hng'on or a yard indication according as said calling-on or said yard relay is closed.

9. In combination, a section of railway track, a switch leading from said section into a, yard track, a manual lever for the control of said switch, a signal governing traiiic through said switch, a relay M, means for energizing said relay requiring that said switch lever be reversed and that said section be unoccupied and that said yard track be occupied by a train, a yard indication relay and a calling-on relay, a signal lever and a normally open push button for controlling said signal, means operating when said signal lever is reversed, and when relay M is open and said push button is closed to energize said calling-on relay, means operating if relay M closes to energize said yard indication relay without necessitating the closing of said push button, and means for causing said signal to give a calling-on or a yard indication according as said calling-on or said yard relay is closed.

10. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal governing traflic through said stretch, a manual lever :for the control of said signal, a relay M controlled by traflic conditions in advance of said signal, a home relay and a yard indication relay and a calling-on relay for said signal, a normally open push button for controlling said signal, means operating when said signal lever is reversed and said push button is closed to energize said calling-on relay provided relay M is open, means operating when relay M is closed to energize said yard indication relay without necessitating the closing of said push button, and means for selectively causing said signal to give calling-on and yard indications according as said calling-on or said yard relay is closed.

11. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a section, a switch leading from said section into a yard track and capable of occupying normal and reverse positions, a signal governing trafiic into said section and capable of displaying a calling-on and a yard indication, manually controlled means for causing said signal to display a calling-on indication when said section is ccupied by a train, and means operating automatically when said switch occupies a normal position for causingsaid signal to display a yard indication when such-trainleaves said section.

12. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a first and asecond section, a switch leading from said first section into a yard track and capable of occupying normal and reversepositions, a signal governing traflic into said first section and capable of displaying calling-on and yard indications, manually controlled means for causing said signal-to display a calling-on indication when said rfirst section is occupied by a a Ion train, and means operating automatically when said switch occupies a normal position for causing said signal to display a yard indication when such train proceeds into said sec end section.

13. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a series of sections, a

signal to display a proceed indication least" favorable in character when the first section of said series is occupied by a train, and means operating automatically when said switch occupies normal and reverse positions for thereafter causing said signal to display pro ceed indications oi progressively favorable character as such train proceeds through succeeding sections of said series.

14. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form two sections, a switch leading from one of said sections with a yard track and capableof occupying normal and reverse positions, av signal governing traffic into the first of said sections and capable of displaying callingon, yard andcaution indications, manually controlled'means for causing said signal to display a calling-on indication when the first of said sectionsis occupied by a train, and means operating automatically when said switch occupies normal and re- 7 verse positions for causing said signal to display a yard indication when saidtrain proceeds throughthe second of said sections and a caution indication when said train departs from said second section.

15. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form a series of sections, a switch leading from one of said sections into a yard track and capable of occupying normal and reverse positions, a signal governing traflic into the first section of said series and capable of displaying calling-on, yard and caution indications, manually controlled means for causing sa1d signal to display a calling-on indicatlon when the first section of said series is occupied by a train, and means operating automatically. when said switch occupies normal and reverse positions ror causingsaid signal to successively display I yard and CZLlllZlOll lndlcations as such tram:

yard and caution indications, manually con- 7 trolled means for causing said signal to display a calling=on-indication when the first section of said series is occupied by a train, and :means operating automatically "when said switch occupies normal andreverse positions and independent of a previous operation of sa1d manually controlled means for causing said-signal to successively display yard" andcaution indications as such train proceeds through succeeding sections of said series. 7 r

17. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided to form sections A-B and B-C, a switch leading from said sections into a yard track, a signal governing traffic through said stretch and capable of giving a calling-on and a yard indication among others, manually controlled means for causlng said signal to give the calling-on indication when section AB is occupied by a train, and means operating automatically to cause said signal to change from the call ing-on indication to the yard indication when such train enters section B-C.

18. In combination, a section of railway track, aswitch leading from said section into a yard track and capable of occupying normal and reverse positions, a manual lever for the control of said switch, a signal governing traffic through said switch, a relay M, means for energizing said relay requiring that said switch lever be reversed and that said section be unoccupied and that said yard track be occupied by a train, a yard indication relay and a calling-on relay, a signal lever and a normally open push button for controlling said signal, means operating when said signal lever is reversed, and when relay M is open and said push button is closed to energize said calling-on relay, means operating when said switch lever occupies normal and reverse positions if relay M closes to energize said yard indication relay without necessitating the closing of said push button, and means for causing said signal to give a calling-on or a yard indication according as said calling-on orsaid yard re lay is closed. H 7

19. In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal governing traffic through said stretch, a switch leading from said stretch into a yard track and capable of occupying normal and reverse positions, a manual lever 'for the control of said signal, a relayM controlled traflic conditions in advance of said signal, a home relay and a yard indication relay and a calling-on relay for said signal, a normally open push button for controlling said signal, means operating when said signal lever is reversed and said push button is closed to energize saidcalling-on relay provided relay M is open, means operating when said switch occupies normal and reverse positions and when relay M is closed to energize said yard indication relay Without necessitating the closing of said push button, and means for selectively causlng said signal to give calling-0n and yard indications according as said. calling-0n 01' said yard relay is closed.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures.

, MELVIN A. PENROD.

CHARLES A. BROOKS. 

